Defendant in case of attack on Baksan HPP claims pressure during investigation

On November 14 in Kabardino-Balkaria in the trial of attack on the Baksan hydroelectric power plant (HPP) the defendant Shebzukhov claimed that he had not been involved in the act of sabotage, he had not participated in the attack on law enforcement agents, and that at the preliminary hearing he had given evidence under duress.

Let us remind you that on September 19 the court interrogated the witnesses of Shebzukhov's detention, who saw how a cylindrical object, similar to a grenade, had been taken from the defendant's pocket. According to the witness, a criminal case was instituted after the explosion and technical expertise. Meanwhile, Aneta Mudranova, another witness, stated at the same hearing that she saw how unidentified people in masks had beaten the defendant and planted a grenade to him.

At the court session held on November 14, Timur Shebzukhov consistently presented his version of what had happened on the day of the attack on the Baksan HPP. He mentioned he studied at the secondary school No. 6 of the town of Baksan together with Ruslan Orshokdugov, Rustam Seyunov and brothers Amir and Alim Lampezhev, who were also the figurants of the case. Timur Shebzukhov stated that at night on July 21, 2010, Orshokdugov offered him to have a talk. About 10 p.m. Shebzukhov got into his car, and Orshokdugov told him that he wanted to meet his friends near the village of Atazhukino, and they drove to the meeting.

"He said that he wanted to talk to someone and after that he would take me home. We stopped at a playground. He left the car; I stayed in the car and waited for him for about an hour. After a certain period of time, some people, three or four men, appeared," said Shebzukhov and stressed that he recognized Seyunov among that people.

According to the defendant, about midnight, several persons stepped into the car; among them he recognized the Baksan residents Tutov and Amir, one of the brothers named Lampezhev. Shebzukhov did not know the third man; however, then, referring to investigators, he could state that it was Zagashtokov.

"We drove in the direction of Baksan. When we arrived to Baksan, one of the men in the car told me to go home, since Orshokdugov would not be able to talk to me on that day," the defendant Shebzukhov concluded his speech and added that in the morning he learned that at night an act of sabotage had been committed on the Baksan HPP.

Timur Shebzukhov also explained that he had been unaware of the purpose of the trip to the village of Atazhukino at night on July 21; he knew nothing about the plans conceived by Orshokdugov and Seyunov; he was not involved in the attack and had nothing common with the grenade, which had been confiscated during his detention.

The prosecution pointed out the discrepancies between the Shebzukhov's evidence that he had given at the preliminary hearing and those given at the trial on that day. The defendant claimed pressure during the investigation. Then the original evidence was read, in which Shebzukhov reported that at night on July 21 he was "standing "for nix."

When the court asked the defendant what evidence he confirmed to be veridical - the one given in the course of the preliminary investigation or the one given in the courtroom - Shebzukhov said the one that he had given in the courtroom.

Let us note that the next court session is appointed for December 5.